Today, I will tell you about another TWS earbuds that I took for testing to enhance my professional knowledge and gain additional experience. Because I have heard positive reviews about OPPO headphones before, but I have never used any products from this brand myself for a long time. So, one day I reached out to the Ukrainian representation of the company asking for a test of the OPPO Enco Air3 Pro wireless earbuds. And they agreed, for which they receive a special thanks from me. So, let’s move on to my impressions of this product. Let’s go!
Read also: OPPO Enco X2 headphones review: is sound the most important thing?
OPPO Enco Air3 Pro specifications
- OPPO Enco Air3 Pro specifications
- Driver: Dynamic 12.4 mm bamboo fiber
- Driver sensitivity: 107 dB @ 1kHz
- Frequency range: 20-40000 Hz
- Microphone sensitivity: -38 dBV/Pa
- Noise reduction: Active 49 dB
- Communication channel: Bluetooth 5.3
- Bluetooth codecs: LDAC / AAC / SBC
- Working range: 10 м
- Latency: 47 ms in game mode
- Batteries: Li-Ion, 43 mAh (earbuds) / 440 mAh (charging case)
- Working time (with 50% volume): 7 hours (on a single charge) / 30 hours (with charging case)
- Charging time: 1.5 h (earbuds) / 2 h (earbuds + charging case)
- Charging port: USB Type-C, 5V 1A
- Water resistance (headphones): IP55
- Weight (headphones): 4.3 g ± 0.1 g
- Weight (product): 47.3 g ± 0.2 g
- Size (headphones): 33 mm × 20 mm × 23 mm
- Size (package): 66 mm × 50 mm × 25 mm
Package contents
In this regard, everything is standard. The earbuds come in a small box with an image of the product on it. Inside, there is a cardboard-plastic holder with the charging case nested on top, and the earbuds are placed inside. Underneath, there is another box with paper documentation, a USB-A/C cable, and spare ear tips of large and small sizes. The medium ear tips are already installed on the earbuds.
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OPPO Enco Air3 Pro positioning and price
The OPPO Enco Air3 Pro is a mid-range true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds in the manufacturer’s lineup. It offers many basic features but lacks some advanced functionalities compared to the flagship model, OPPO Enco X2. The official price of the Enco Air3 Pro at the moment is around $90. Thus, this model enters the market in the mid-range segment of headphones priced around $100, where it competes with models like Huawei FreeBuds 5i, Soundcore Liberty 4 NC, Xiaomi Redmi Buds 5 Pro, Realme Buds Air 5 Pro, Sony WF-C700N, Samsung Galaxy Buds FE. As you can see, the company has positioned itself solidly, so the OPPO earbuds should strive to win the favor of customers. Well, let’s see what the headset is capable of.
Design, materials, build quality
It seems like there’s nothing particularly special about the design of the OPPO Enco Air3 Pro. The charging case is an oval-shaped standard case for the class, with a flip-top lid on top where the earbuds are inserted, with the stems facing downward.
However, you can still notice the first unique design feature on the case – the semi-transparent top part of the lid through which the wavy texture inside is visible. I haven’t encountered anything like this in my previous experience.
The earbuds at first glance also have a typical in-ear design with a stem. However, on the inner part, there are markings L and R, which seem to be cut out of the plastic. And this is also quite an original solution.
So we have several design features that don’t immediately catch the eye but still distinguish this model among thousands of similar devices. It’s always nice to have something like this in your gadget.
The device is entirely made of practical glossy plastic. In my case, it’s a delicate light green color. You can also find a white option available for purchase. Strangely, there are simply no black earbuds for this model.
The assembly of the OPPO Enco Air3 Pro can be considered perfect. The case cover doesn’t wobble or squeak and has minimal springy play when pressed. Overall, it feels like a high-quality product made with attention to detail.
Read also: Review of OneOdio SuperEQ S10 ANC: Excellent Budget TWS Earbuds for Everyday Use
Comfort of using OPPO Enco Air3 Pro
The first thing I always pay attention to is how convenient it is to use the case in awkward situations. And here, it seems all good because there’s an engraved logo on the front that’s very tactile. You can easily tell which end is the front and which is the back and flip the case to the right orientation without even looking at it or in the dark.
You can also easily open the case lid with one hand. Just do it with your index finger. Like this:
The earbuds are easily removed from the case and they are immediately in the correct position, no need to flip them to insert into your ears. Putting the earbuds back into the case is also quick and easy, you just need to place them in the slot with your finger, and then the inserts are automatically aligned in place by magnets. Of course, I’m talking about performing typical operations without looking at the earbuds.
As for the size of the case, it’s of medium size and doesn’t stand out. There are smaller options on the market, but there are also larger ones. Thanks to its oval shape, the case is quite comfortable to carry in your pocket.
The fit of the earbuds in the ear canal is quite comfortable due to their well-thought-out ergonomic shape. Personally, I can listen to music and have conversations using the headset for 3-4 hours straight during the workday without any issues, and I didn’t encounter any problems with the OPPO Enco Air3 Pro.
Read also: Motorola Moto Buds 120 TWS Earbuds Review: High Autonomy and Powerful Sound
Headphone control
To control the functions during operation, traditional TWS sensors are used on the outside of each headphone case – on the top at the base of the leg.
Overall, everything is pretty standard; the touch sensor supports single, double, and triple taps, long press, as well as the unusual “long press and hold” gesture. For the latter action, you can assign volume control. Essentially, it’s a double tap, but the second tap is held down. Due to the unclear description, it took me some time to learn how to perform this gesture, but now you’ll know what to do. In general, you get full control over the earbuds’ functions via the touch sensors. We have the following: play/pause music, skip tracks forward and backward, answer and end calls, toggle between noise cancellation and sound transparency modes, activate voice assistant, and enable gaming mode. So, all possible actions are available, but the control scheme is a bit convoluted, requiring some getting used to.
I also didn’t like that the audio prompts accompanying the changes in settings are very quiet, so it’s almost impossible to hear them while listening to music. This creates uncertainty when controlling the device because it’s difficult to accurately understand whether there has been a change in volume or a switch in noise cancellation mode.
A positive aspect worth noting is the presence of a proximity sensor and auto-pause feature in the earbuds. When you remove at least one earbud from your ear, music or video playback is paused. When you return the earbud to your ear, playback resumes. Additionally, if you take out only one earbud from the case and place it in your ear to use it as a headset for calls, it automatically activates the transparency mode, meaning it starts working in an open mode. If you later add the second earbud, the active noise cancellation mode is automatically enabled. This automation, thanks to the proximity sensor, enhances the comfort of using the earbuds in typical scenarios.
Read also: Realme Buds Air 5 TWS Headphones Review
HeyMelody mobile application
To control the earbuds’ functions, device settings, and firmware updates, the proprietary mobile app HeyMelody is used. The app is available for Android and iOS and can be installed from the official app stores for the respective operating systems.
The app’s interface is simple and straightforward, yet it offers a plethora of functions and options. You can add any device and modify all possible settings. In addition to OPPO earbuds, HeyMelody also supports OnePlus headsets.
Android:
iOS:
The first tab displays the battery level of the earbuds and the case. Next is the section responsible for managing the microphone modes (noise cancellation and sound transparency). You can adjust the strength of the effect or switch to intelligent noise cancellation, which considers the seal of the ear canal and the volume of surrounding noise. The next functions are for sound control: equalizer, bass boost, enabling Hi-Res audio, and selecting the primary codec. Then we have the Golden Sound feature, which scans the ear canal and hearing to create a personalized sound profile with tone compensation from 10 to 40,000 Hz. The next option is OPPO Alive Audio, which activates the proprietary Spatial Audio mode to enhance the spatial surround effect when listening to music. The Gaming Mode reduces latency and synchronizes sound with video and games. Dual Connection allows for managing simultaneous connections to multiple devices. There’s also an option to check the seal of the ear tips, find earbuds (which emits a fairly loud sound during the process, so it’s best not to activate it when the earbuds are in your ears), and firmware updates.
The second tab is responsible for setting up the control scheme using sensors. Here you can customize all the gestures. The third tab contains information about the app and the user agreement.
Read also: Huawei FreeClip “Open Ear” Headphones Review
Sound of OPPO Enco Air3 Pro
When I started using the earbuds, I immediately realized that the sound here is powerful and detailed. Honestly, I was very surprised, considering the relatively democratic price of the product. Is there just one driver here? Because the sound quality of the OPPO Enco Air3 Pro is in no way inferior to dual-driver systems from well-known brands and even many earbuds with a combination of dynamic and multiple balanced armature drivers. In many cases, the sound level of this headset even surpasses some models I’m familiar with that have decent sound quality. This includes those that cost 1.5 to 2.5 times more. How can this be? Is it some kind of magic?
I began to delve deeper into this issue and search for additional information on the manufacturer’s website. So, here are some technical details.
Indeed, there is only one driver, and it seems to be a regular dynamic one, albeit with a large diameter of 12.4 mm. But there are nuances. The diaphragm of the dynamic driver is made of bamboo fiber, which, according to the manufacturer’s claims, gives it additional properties.
The official page of the headphones on the OPPO website states the following:
THE INNOVATIVE BAMBOO FIBER DIAPHRAGM DELIVERS IMPRESSIVELY DETAILED HIGH-FREQUENCY SOUND WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF DISTORTION. IT REPRODUCES THE DETAILS OF REAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH THREE KEY IMPROVEMENTS.
- 60% lighter, enabling the transmission of clear details of high frequencies even beyond 40 kHz
- 56% stiffer, deformation resistance ensures extremely high sound purity without distortions.
- 63% more elastic, internal damping provides fast recovery after vibration and soft sound.
Also, on the website, you can find a diagram illustrating the placement of the speaker with two acoustic chambers. The rear chamber provides bass sound, while the front one is equipped with a special filtering system and enhances high-frequency reproduction. In fact, this way, one large driver performs the functions of a dual-driver system. It’s quite an interesting and elegant technical solution.
And I can confirm that everything mentioned above is not just another marketing slogan. The headphone’s acoustic system works very effectively and delivers truly premium sound.
The high frequencies are indeed very clear and detailed. Of course, I have studio monitors with 6 drivers that outperform the OPPO Enco Air3 Pro in the high-frequency range, but sorry, they have 6 drivers, and besides, they cost three times more. I repeat, for a single driver, the highs here are very impressive. As for the mid frequencies… well, they’re just that, mid-range, and although they form the basis of the sound, I can’t say anything special about them; they’re ordinary, well-worked, and don’t get muddled. The bass is very powerful, and it’s not boomy, as is often the case with cheap headphones, but rather tight and clear, with fast decay. Sub-bass is also present. These are the ultra-low sounds that we don’t hear with our ears, but they are well felt due to the pressure on the eardrum. The presence of sub-bass is one of the signs of premium sound.
To enhance the sound, I also recommend trying out the proprietary feature available in the mobile app – OPPO Alive Audio. Although the explanation states that it “supports certain audio and video formats,” for me, it simply worked while listening to regular music as an extension of the stereo base. The soundstage becomes more panoramic. It’s worth a try.
It’s worth noting that I tested the headphones paired with a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra smartphone using the Hi-Res LDAC codec. I listen to music from the TIDAL service in lossless formats like FLAC and MQA up to 24-bit 192 kHz. So, essentially, I’m trying to extract the maximum quality sound from the smartphone + wireless headphones connection.
Overall, when evaluating the character and atmosphere of the sound from these headphones, I can confidently say that such sound quality typically comes at a much higher price. In this regard, the Enco Air3 Pro is a discovery for the moderately affluent mobile audio enthusiast-amateur.
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Microphones and headset function
The OPPO Enco Air3 Pro supports all modern features related to microphones and sound environment control. I couldn’t find exact information on the number of microphones, but judging by the result, there should be three in each earbud—for voice and ambient (both likely located in the large opening at the end of the stem) and for feedback (opening on the inner part of the earbud’s body under the silicone ear tip). However, I could be mistaken, as lately manufacturers are not focusing on the quantity of microphones, relying more on post-processing using AI.
The ANC function works wonderfully. You can adjust the intensity of the effect or choose intelligent control of the noise reduction level depending on the ambient volume. There’s also a feature to reduce noise and wind during phone calls or voice chats in real-time. All these functions are controlled by a separate chip using Artificial Intelligence. Additionally, there’s a transparency mode in the earbuds for moments when you need to hear what’s happening around you. In real-life usage, all these systems function reliably, and I have no complaints whatsoever.
When it comes to voice calls, the microphones perform exceptionally well. The voice is transmitted clearly, with a pleasant tone. The quality indoors is excellent, and it remains acceptable even outdoors, even in fairly noisy environments.
Read also: Samsung Galaxy Buds FE Review: Most Affordable TWS Earbuds from Company
Connections and delays
The OPPO Enco Air3 Pro earphones are compatible with the Google Fast Pair standard. This means that you can quickly connect with just one click through a pop-up window on Android smartphones. Additionally, each time you connect, you’ll receive information about the current battery levels of the earphones and the case through a notification in your device’s notification shade.
The connection quality of the Enco Air3 Pro with a smartphone is excellent, which is to be expected given the current state of wireless devices with Bluetooth 5.3 support. There are no streaming interruptions, and a reliable connection is maintained even through concrete walls in urban environments.
It’s also worth mentioning the ability to simultaneously connect the headset to multiple devices. This ensures automatic and seamless switching between audio sources.
The feature works flawlessly when connecting the smartphone on Android (Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra) and the Windows 11 laptop (ASUS Zenbook Pro Duo).
There’s a slight audio delay compared to the on-screen action when watching YouTube videos or engaging in mobile gaming, but enabling the special gaming mode reduces the latency to 47 ms, resolving the issue entirely.
OPPO Enco Air3 Pro battery life
The manufacturer claims 7 hours of continuous autonomy for the headphones when listening to music at 50% volume. These figures are probably valid with noise cancellation turned off, as with ANC activated, the autonomous operation time is around 4.5 hours. Consequently, the 30-hour battery life with the case also translates to approximately 20 hours in such a scenario. Overall, these are quite decent results, nothing to complain about, as competitors offer similar performance.
The headphones charge via the USB-C port on the case in approximately 1.5-2 hours. Unfortunately, wireless charging is not supported.
To indicate the battery level of the headphones, there is a single LED indicator located under the logo on the case. It can illuminate in red, yellow, and green colors. With the lid open, you can see the headphone battery level, and when you close the lid, the LED will display the case’s charge level.
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Conclusions
I suppose the main satisfaction in my work lies in finding excellent yet relatively inexpensive products. And the OPPO Enco Air3 Pro is precisely such an example because it’s a real find for buyers in every sense.
Pros
My impressions of these headphones are very positive. They are well-made, with several original design solutions. All the main functions work excellently. Here, we find everything one could expect from a modern TWS headset: reliable connection, good microphones, and high usability. Moreover, the premium sound quality is impressive, something I’ve only heard in more expensive devices until now.
Cons
The main drawback of the headset for me personally is the lack of wireless charging for the case. However, in this price range, you are unlikely to find such a feature with competitors, so it’s not worth complaining about. Sometimes, I find the control scheme a bit confusing, as I never quite got the hang of adjusting the music playback volume confidently using the touch controls. Additionally, the notifications for parameter changes are very quiet in my opinion. I also wished for longer battery life for the headphones on a single charge in ANC mode. However, considering the current technological realities of the market, I understand that’s where we stand. Furthermore, I must mention the absence of a darker color option for the OPPO Enco Air3 Pro. For some, this might be a downside because not everyone prefers white or green headphones.
Summary
Overall, if you’re in the market for wireless headphones from a reputable brand priced at under $100, I highly recommend considering this model, as it truly deserves your attention. Of course, taking into account all the aspects I’ve described above.